


The Source Of His Strength

by Roiwiez



Series: Path to Forgiveness [3]
Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Angst and Feels, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Drama, Family Feels, Grief/Mourning, He's Just Really Bad At This, Trauma, Vergil's Trying Guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:00:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27819409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roiwiez/pseuds/Roiwiez
Summary: Two weeks after the second invasion of Fortuna, Nero has managed to clean the streets and return the city to peace.  There is, however, one demon who isn't accounted for.  Vergil is nowhere to be found, and with no one willing to help Nero find him, he can only assume the worst.Meanwhile, Vergil approaches a familiar home he visited a year prior, with the same goal in mind.(A continuation of my DMC series.  It is heavily recommended that you read the earlier works in the series.)
Relationships: Dante & Vergil (Devil May Cry), Kyrie/Nero (Devil May Cry), Nero & Nico (Devil May Cry), Nero & Vergil (Devil May Cry)
Series: Path to Forgiveness [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1928215
Comments: 19
Kudos: 64





	1. Unfinished Business

**Author's Note:**

> I have returned!
> 
> I couldn't leave this series alone, I just had to come back and write up a few more chapters for you guys. These guys are just too fun to write!
> 
> This work won't be nearly as long as the last one, but I can guarantee it'll be just as heartbreaking. I'll be uploading these weekly, so come back every Tuesday.
> 
> Enjoy!

Two weeks had passed since Fortuna had been invaded by the armies of Mundus, though looking at the town now, you wouldn’t have guessed anything happened at all. Saving lives was Nero’s job, but in his line of work he’s oftentimes far too late to save the people caught up in the front lines. Not this time, the town has managed a speedy recovery despite the fact the demon king himself marched down these streets. Nero would love to take credit for cleaning out the city, but he knows who's really responsible for dispersing the demons who made it through the gates.

Vergil.

Despite having Dante and his father back on the surface, he’s still learned next to nothing about who his father was and where he’s run off too. Dante deflected every question he’s thrown at him before he flew off back home but it was clear Vergil was still here in Fortuna somewhere. The Fortuna disaster from years past wasn’t fully cleaned up till almost a year later, and Red Grave was still a demon infested mess. Vergil, for all his mistakes, seemed to be doing his part cleaning up after himself.

It was better to be safe than sorry however. Even though the streets have been clean and the townsfolk vigilant, Nero and Nico still patrolled the streets every day searching for any straggler demons still in hiding and the elusive son of Sparda. Two weeks in and they haven’t found a trace of either. Nero should probably be relieved that the streets were free of bloodthirsty demons and his maniac father, but not knowing where the latter was has been making him lose sleep.

“Aaaand nothing.” Nico pulls the van to a stop just outside the closed off blast zone that surrounded the cathedral in the center of town. “Four hours and a lotta wasted gas later and we still have no idea where V-man is.” Nero lets out a defeated sigh as he slouches in the passenger seat. “Maybe we can lure him out of hiding with a poetry competition or somethin’.”

“I’m willing to try anything at this point.” Nero groans. “Deadbeat shows up after a year with Dante to bring the demon king himself on my doorstep before giving me his sword back and disappearing again. Least the asshole could do is get out of town or make his motives clear so we didn’t have to keep watch for him!”

Nico contemplates lighting a smoke to pass the time and let Nero air out his frustrations, but a better idea strikes when she notices Nero clenching his fists. “Say, I got something you could help me with to take your mind off your daddy issues.”

“Can you _please_ stop referring to me worrying about Vergil as _daddy issues_?” Nero pleads.

“I’m calling it what it is.” Nico shakes her head. “But come on, a big project like this is just the thing you need to get over him.” Slipping out of the driver's seat and retreating back into the workshop in the back of the van, Nero reluctantly follows her to see what dangerous death machine she’s devised now. He hopes Nico didn’t make a Tomboy Mk4 after what happened to Mk3. Kneeling down, Nico scrounges together an armload of spare parts, electronics, paint, and schematics before dumping all of them onto the counter top. Picking out one of the rolled up schematics, she unrolls it and presents it like a scroll to the young devil hunter. “Behold!”

“Oh god, what have you made thi- Holy…” Nero recognized his prized sword almost immediately, even through the various design suggestions Nico had scribbled over it. He’s been modifying Red Queen for years, but she sadly met her end against the demon king Mundus, mostly because of the aforementioned Tomboy Mk3. Looking at the junk she’s deposited onto her workspace, Nero spots a hunk of scrap that might have once been the Red Queen’s blade.

“Thought you’d like it!” Nico giggles at the awed expression plastered on Nero’s face. “After seeing all the wacky demon magic garbage Dante and Vergil’s swords could do, I felt it was time we worked together to make something that put their crummy swords to shame! Next time your dad comes by, you can dump his dumb reality splicing sword at his feet!”

“Wow!” Nero was nearly breathless at the proposition. “You know what, this might be the only project of yours I won’t be freaking out over.” Nero takes a seat at the counter, throwing a quick glance at the breakers hanging over Nico’s head. If he wasn’t already born with it, Nero’s sure his hair would have gotten this gray due to the stress of having such a huge stockpile of weapons so close to home. Shoving aside most of the junk on the counter, Nico rolls out her blueprints and flicks on the overhead lamp for Nero to study them closer.

Upon closer inspection, Nero comes up with multiple questions he needs to ask.

“Is that a gun?” The notes and major changes Nico’s proposed for this new Red Queen almost all surround the swords handle and guard. She hasn’t suggested removing the engine that was present in the original sword, she just wants to add _more_ stuff to it, and one of the first things Nero noticed was the massive revolver built into the swords handle.

“Yes it is!” Nico beams, emphasizing every word. “Here’s what I was thinking.” Leaving the workshop for a moment, Nico scurries over to the front of the van to fish her revolver out of the glove box before returning and grabbing a loose piece of rebar to stand in for the sword handle. “Your old sword already had a trigger mechanism built into the handle to gas it up, so I figured adding another trigger onto it couldn’t hurt.” Holding the gun up against the rebar she begins to detail a hypothetical situation where this crazy idea could come in handy. “Imagine, you’re revving up your sword, getting ready to cleave some dumb as dicks demon in two but it’s already swinging at you! There’s no way you’d be able to hit it with the blade before it hit you, and that’s where this baby comes in. If we build it at an angle and have it face the blade, you’d be able to shoot a bullet into the demon's brain, stopping it in its tracks and letting you saw it in half without being interrupted!” Nico slowly swings the rebar in the air, pretending to shoot the gun before following through with a slash all in the same motion. “What do you think?”

“Where do you come up with this?” Nero baffles, not quite dismissing the idea just yet.

“This is pure genius at work.” Nico gloats. “But the real magic happens at two in the morning when I’m high, sleep deprived, and watching too much anime.” Nico beams with pride as Nero begins going through the rest of the ideas. Different fuel ports for the engine? An extension to the guard to allow him to interface any breaker he was wearing? A mechanism to sharpen the blade with every swing? It looked like Nico wanted to make this sword capable of anything and everything. If everything she proposed was included, this thing might be too complex for even Dante.

“I think we might have to roll things back a little.” Nero admits. “We’re making a sword, not a swiss army knife.”

“I’m not making it.” Nico counters, “You are. No offense man, but you’ve been a bummer ever since your dad ran off for, what, the third time? We’ve driven circles around town for weeks, it’s about time you did something productive.” Slamming the gun and rebar down onto the counter, Nico leans forward to make her demands clear. “I wanna hear you wisecracking and telling me about how sickeningly sweet Kyrie is every day instead of freaking out.” Not giving Nero a chance to argue, Nico pushes off the counter to return to the driver's seat. “Speaking of whom, let's get back home. You’ve got no right leaving her all alone with those three little munchkins while chasing ghosts.”

Nero lets out a soft chuckle as he follows her back to the front seat. “Can’t argue with that.” He agrees. “After dinner, let's get back here and get to work on Red Queen Mk…” Nero pauses for a moment as Nico revs the van up again and pulls out of the cathedral district. “Should we call it Red Queen Mk2? We’re making something completely new at this point.”

“Got any ideas?” Nico asks, feeling confident enough to light a cigarette now that Nero’s cooled off. “Maybe there’s a person you want to name your sword after? I name all the guns I make. My rifle’s name is Isabelle.” Nero ponders this idea for a while, wracking his brain to find a suitable name. Would the kids like to have a sword named after them? He’s not sure Kyrie would approve. Maybe he could name it after… Oh shit!

“It’s his anniversary today!” Nero blurts out of nowhere, startling Nico enough to make her drop her recently lit cigarette onto her lap. “Holy shit, I can’t believe I almost forgot! Oh man, Kyrie’s gonna be pissed!”

“Kyrie, pissed?!” Nico hisses as she swipes the cigarette off her lap and stomps it into the floor. “Shit, did you forget her birthday or something? I don’t think she’s got a hateful bone in her body.”

“We’ll have to save the sword for tomorrow.” Nero promises. “I got something I need to do tonight.”

The rest of the drive went on in an uncomfortable silence as they cruised down the streets of Fortuna. Nico had no idea what was so important about this day and tried to recall last year to see if he reacted this way back then. Nothing serious happened this day last year, she doesn’t remember any party’s or visitors. Whatever it is, it’s thankfully taken Nero’s mind off of Vergil, so she’ll count it as a blessing.

The sun was hanging low over the city as Nico pulled the van into the garage. “Do whatever you gotta do hotshot.” Nico says as she retreats back to her workshop. “I’m gonna finish up some stuff back here until food’s done.”

“I’ll call you in when it’s ready.” Nero nods as he hops out of the van. Nero removes his gun from his holster and moves to hang it up next to the door leading into the house but stops when Kyrie pulls the door open. Kyrie doesn’t like stepping foot in this place because of the scent of oil and smoke so having her seek him out instead of waiting was cause for alarm. “Everything ok honey?”

“I found him.” Kyrie blurted out as soon as she could, stopping Nero in his tracks. “Your father came to visit.”

\---

Vergil felt foolish approaching his sons home after weeks of avoiding him. He’s had some close calls where Nero had almost managed to track him down, but his hiding place was fool proof. He wasn’t on the move anymore, he didn’t have to worry about being ambushed in his shelter so he allowed himself a luxury he never thought he’d be able to afford; a small apartment right here in Fortuna.

Searching through the newly created ruins after the invasion, Vergil managed to collect enough money and valuables to support himself for a while. He didn’t plan to spend his days stealing to survive, but he had more pressing matters to deal with before he was to seek out a more stable income.

With an empty apartment and enough stolen cash to pay the rent, Vergil had plenty of time to plan out his next move. Food wouldn’t be too much of a problem, he’d practically gorged himself off of the demon blood he bathed in daily while in hell, the lack of furniture or decorations didn’t bother him much at all either, it was a blessing that his shelter had four walls and a roof. However, there was one thing that demanded to be resolved and dragged Vergil out of his sanctuary long before he was prepared.

Yamato.

He left it with the boy for this precise reason, but he couldn’t help but curse himself for it now that he was approaching the young man’s home. He had no trouble surviving with little to no personal belongings, but without Yamato by his side, he felt incomplete. Walking these streets again empty handed brought back horrible memories from the year prior. Things won’t end in bloodshed today, that he’s sure of, but he needed his sword back.

The boy had been searching for him every day for the past week, patrolling the same streets and searching the same hotspots. Nero should be home by now, and while this surprise visit most likely won’t go over well with him he should at least offer Vergil a chance to explain himself.

There was no talking himself out of this, this had to be done. Summoning his strength, Vergil marches up to the front door of the estate and raps his knuckles against the door three times and attempts to look as relaxed as possible, his stiff shoulders and hunched back might give Nero the wrong idea. As he heard footsteps slowly tap their way towards the door, doubts and questions over whether or not this was the right time were quickly and efficiently silenced within his mind. The door opened and Vergil straightened himself out and prepared for the reaction his son would give him.

Instead, his posture falters when he realizes it wasn’t Nero who opened the door.

“Good evening! Is there something I can help you wi...” A young woman with brilliant auburn hair and brown eyes answers the door instead, mirroring the shocked and confused look plastered on Vergil’s own face. They stare at each other for a moment and Vergil’s mind immediately begins looking for an exit out of this situation. Did he get the wrong house? No, he couldn’t have. He wouldn’t have made such a foolish mistake. “You’re Vergil, aren’t you.”

Rubbing his nose with his sleeve, Vergil clears his throat and attempts to press on. “Is Nero here? I need to speak with him.” Vergil waited for the woman to retreat back into the house to find his son but she didn't leave the door. The woman stood her ground, placing herself in front of the door to keep him from entering. She must have been here when he last visited, of course she wouldn’t want him coming back. “I assure you, I mean no one harm.” Vergil takes a step back, allowing the woman to see he was unarmed and docile. “He’s been searching for me, has he not?”

“Nero isn’t home yet.” The woman replied, stern and polite, causing Vergil to falter slightly. He couldn’t shake an uncanny feeling rising in his chest, this woman's tone reminded him of his mother’s whenever she grew frustrated with the fights he picked with his brother.

“Then may I wait for him here?” Vergil asked, raising his hands to reiterate that he’s harmless. Vergil couldn’t trust himself not to run away if he tried to come back later, he needed to stay here and wait for Nero. The woman hesitates for a moment before stepping back and creaking the door open enough for him to come inside. “Thank you.” Vergil bows his head as he steps forward to enter the home, but the woman throws a hand to his chest to hold him back.

“You will behave yourself.” She hisses, using the same painfully familiar tone from before. “Nero will know if you try anything.” Threats were not something that worked on Vergil. Promises that his heart would be ripped out of his chest and his bones would be smashed to dust were so common and boring that Vergil barely registered them, but this one held weight. This woman meant a lot to Nero, if anything happened to her there would be no hope of salvaging his relationship with his son.

“I won’t raise a hand against anyone in this home.” Vergil promises, making the woman back off to let him step foot in the house. Planting his foot into the threshold of Nero’s home felt like a milestone, but also that he was stepping into a minefield. The slightest transgression could spell disaster and Vergil fell back into the vigilance he thought he had outgrown. Keeping his arms held at his side, Vergil slowly climbed the stairs leading into the living room.

Nero’s whereabouts were beginning to worry him, the van always returned back to this house around this time. What was keeping him? Vergil supposes he has a slightly more pressing matter; who was this frightening woman Nero lived with? He knows Nico, but he can’t recall any mention of someone back home.

“You already know who I am, may I learn your name?” Vergil asks over his shoulder as the two of them enter the living room.

“My name is Kyrie.” She responds. “I’m your daughter in law.” Vergil has had multiple blades pushed through his chest, but hearing those words caused his heart to lurch so violently in his chest that he was driven to a standstill. His daughter in law?! This was Nero’s wife?! “Nero’s told me a lot about you, but the fact that you’re here is proof enough that you’re not as bad as he says.” Kyrie slips past Vergil to lead him to the living room but pauses when she notices that he’s stopped. “Was it something I said?”

“My son is married?” Mother always used to tell him and Dante stories from her and father’s wedding and the happy memories they shared. Knowing he was absent from Nero’s wedding, as well as every other pivotal moment in his son's life made his goal of making things right seem that much more improbable. He was so lost in his own head that he didn’t notice Kyrie had approached him until she grabbed hold of his arm and gently led him to the couch.

“I don’t know what kept you, but you’re here now to make things right. That’s what matters.” Kyrie assured in a kind and gentle voice. “Nero forgets things all the time too thanks to work, but he always means well. There are still plenty of memories to be made in the future.” Kyrie set him down on the couch. Vergil couldn’t help but feel her hospitality and kindness was misplaced. No one was ever vouching for him, no one gave him the benefit of the doubt. The fact that Kyrie was showing him kindness when no one else did bought a lump to his throat again.

Nero chose well. If she had this effect on him, she must be a powerful woman.

“Thank you Kyrie.” Vergil chokes out, trying to regain his composure. Since that day at the graveyard, Vergil’s found it increasingly more difficult to keep his emotions in check. “Please, don’t let me distract you. I’ll wait here patiently for Nero’s arrival.” Vergil folded his hands on his lap and leaned back into the couch, trying to fully comprehend the fact that his son had grown faster than he thought.

“Dante’s told me alot about you, too.” Kyrie mentions which breaks a chuckle out of Vergil. Vergil rubs his nose to try and cover up his outburst but the action only seems to make Kyrie smile harder. “Hearing the stories he and Nero tell about you, I had no idea what to expect when I finally met you.”

“I suspect neither of them had anything pleasant to say about me.” Vergil groans.

“They each had their share of criticisms.” Kyrie admits, causing Vergil to sink deeper into the couch. “But they had a few things to say about your character.” Vergil raises an eyebrow as Kyrie takes a seat across from him. “You’re steadfast and determined, you know what you want and you take it, no matter the obstacles. You’re level headed and composed in any situation, even when facing the most terrifying demons. Hearing these stories, I sometimes forget they’re talking about you. In a lot of these stories, you sound just like Nero.”

“Well that doesn’t sound like them at all.” Vergil chuckles. “Neither of them broke into childish playground insult fights about me?”

“Oh I’ve heard my fair share of the bad side of you.” Kyrie leans forward, her gentle tone slipping away into the stern one again. “I’ve also seen the bad side. It was only a little over a year ago that you tore my husband's arm off and left him for dead, your own son. The only reason I’m letting you in my house is because your brother swears you’ve changed and the fact you came here to make amends. You are a guest in my home, but if you do anything to hurt me or my husband again, don’t expect me to turn the other cheek.” Kyrie holds her stare to allow her words to set in when a loud whistle begins sounding from deeper in the house. “That would be the kettle. You may stay here while I finish preparing Dinner.” Kyrie stands up and quickly retreats towards the kitchen, leaving Vergil stunned in the living room.

A powerful woman indeed.

Despite her threat, her kind words still stand. He’s made plenty of mistakes but he still has plenty of time to redeem himself for his son. All he has to do is wait for the boy to return home so they can finally talk things through. As he waits on the couch however, something tugs at his conscience, something so close that it was practically screaming for him to take it.

Yamato was close by.

With nothing else to occupy his mind, Vergil’s hands become restless, constantly reaching to his side to hold the sword that kept him safe for most of his life. Vergil tried to push the call out of his mind, to continue waiting patiently for his son, but Yamato’s song only grew stronger with each passing second. Yamato was essential to his plans, he wouldn’t be able to complete any of his goals without its power by his side. Besides, it was _his_ sword, no one would vilify him for simply taking what rightfully belonged to him.

Slowly standing up from the couch, Vergil quietly walked towards a nearby hallway to follow the draw of Yamato. Along the way, he passes the kitchen and is momentarily seduced by the scent of sugar, freshly ground coffee beans and… chocolate? Yamato’s call is more tempting than that delicacy however, Vergil pushes on, avoiding detection from Kyrie and swiftly making his way towards the door his sword was hiding behind.

Slowly turning the knob, Vergil creaks the door open as silently as he can manage as he slips into what appears to be Nero and Kyrie’s bedroom. Following Yamato’s song, he scans the room until he finds his prize. Yamato rests gently on top of the dresser and within two seconds Vergil plucks the sword off and returns it to where it belongs. A grounding feeling of safety and confidence fills his chest now that the sword was safely returned to his hip. No matter what happens now, he had Yamato back. Not wanting to waste too much time or risk anyone discovering he was rummaging in their room, Vergil silently stalks out of the room and shuts the door behind him before heading back down the hall,

Only to be stopped in his tracks when he notices a child standing in the middle of the hall.

“You have white hair like daddy!” The young boy idly comments before wandering into the kitchen. That one comment left Vergil as pale as the hair on his head. Who’s… Was that… It couldn’t be… Was he…

Was he a grandfather?! Was that boy his grandson?!

Gasping for a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, Vergil drops all attempts at stealth and chases after the boy, stopping at the archway leading into the kitchen. The boy paid him no mind and instead seemed interested in the small pot of melting chocolate resting on the stove top.

“Kyle! Don’t stick your finger in there, it’s hot!” Kyrie warns, pulling her attention away from a mixture she was whisking to pull the boy away from the stove top. “You’ll have to wait till after dinner before it’s ready.” Kyrie tries to usher the boy out of the kitchen so she can continue working but notices Vergil standing at the entrance. Vergil tries his hardest to collect his thoughts to properly ask the question he’s terrified to have answered, but Kyrie seems to answer him before he even asks. “Kyle here is an orphan, we took him in after the first disaster here in Fortuna.”

“Do you…” Vergil stammers his words but once again Kyrie already knows what he’s asking.

“We do not have any children of our own.” She confirms and Vergil shudders with relief. He’s missed so much, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he was absent for the birth of his own grandchildren. Lingering on the thought of a grandchild, he wonders how Sparda would respond to _his_ grandson. What would he think of Nero, would he be appalled by the fact Vergil wasn’t there for him? “You really do want to be here for him, do you?” Kyrie asks, putting everything aside to approach Vergil.

“I’m not ready for this.” Vergil shakes his head, taking a step back. “I’m not strong enough yet.” Kyrie takes another step forward to try and calm him down but Vergil shirks away from her touch. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do this.” Before Kyrie can get another word in, Vergil turns his back and quickly makes his way for the exit, taking the steps down three at a time.

“Vergil wait!” Kyrie tries desperately to keep up with him but the front door is already thrown open before she can even make it to the stairs. Trying to rush outside to see where he went, she’s met with empty streets. He was gone, but rather than feeling anger or frustration, Kyrie felt worried for the demon slayer. The look he had on his face was painfully familiar, Nero wore the same face only a month ago.

He was scared for them. For their future. He doesn’t even know about the child on the way. Retreating back into the house, Kyrie waited for Nero to return home, ready to tell him the news that would surely anger him, but that should pass quickly. Vergil would be back eventually, she knows it. As for Nero, he had a duty he needed to fulfill for the both of them tonight, no matter how well this news sits with him, she knows he won’t miss the anniversary.


	2. Those Who Motivate Us

Vergil had failed once again. Just like every other grand scheme he’s ever come up with, this one fell to pieces because he wasn’t strong enough to overcome it. Despite the fact he survived this critical failure, this one brought more pain than of the others. Perhaps he should take a lesson from Dante and look at this failure a bit more optimistically. No one was harmed, Yamato was safely returned to his possession, and Nero likely doesn’t hate him any more than he already did.

Oh what use was this hopeless optimism if it didn’t bring him any closer to fixing things. That was his big chance and he blew it. As night fell over Fortuna, Vergil took to the streets, desperate for a distraction from his own mind. That’s how Dante does it right, drown his sorrows out with ice cream and that horrible noise he called music? Vergil wasn’t quite ready to stoop that low, the evening breeze and surrounding architecture should be enough to occupy his mind.

Yet, despite his best efforts, his thoughts remained on the short time he spent in Nero’s home, more specifically Kyrie. She was the first person in so long who showed him kindness and hospitality without expecting anything back. It was something so incredibly human that Vergil hadn't experienced much of at all, just goes to show what company he used to keep. That freely given kindness was something that should be treasured, cherished,

Protected.

Knowing she lived right here in Fortuna gave Vergil the much needed context behind Nero’s actions during the invasion. His anger, his determination, _his fear._ He fought to protect his wife and the children back home, knowing his failure would mean their deaths.

How did he survive with that weight on his shoulders?!

How could he so willingly take responsibility for all of their lives? While pondering these questions, Vergil unwittingly wandered right into the destroyed cathedral district. Desperate for another person to listen to these questions, he began moving towards the nearby cemetery, towards the only other person who showed him the same kindness Kyrie had.

Vergil found himself standing before Donatella’s grave almost every other day, airing out the grief he’s spent decades repressing. It was right here that he let everything fall away, when he finally let himself cry since he was a child. He always left this place with a heavy heart, but the catharsis he felt when he told Donatella about the nightmares he wouldn’t even share to Dante made every visit special.

“Good evening, Donatella.” Her gravestone didn’t offer much in conversation, but knowing she was always listening helped Vergil continue. “Things didn’t go as planned today.” Vergil sighs, planting the tip of Yamato into the soil in front of the stone and leaning on it for support. “I’m back at square one.”

This wasn’t the worst case scenario though. There was still a very small chance he could make up for this blunder, and he thinks he knows how.

“I met someone peculiar today, I’m sure you would have loved her.” Vergil hums to himself. “Our boy has already settled down, Kyrie is our daughter in law.” Vergil grips the handle of his blade tighter. “He’s already done more for her than I have for you…”

Donatella wouldn’t settle with hearing Vergil berate himself. She saw the best in him and pushed him to hold his head high. Seeing how Nero turned out under similar guidance, he wishes he listened to her sooner. Vergil keeps quiet to listen to the wind. Vergil was able to pick up on all sorts of sounds when he took the time to clear his thoughts and listen. Leaves rustling, loose bits of debris still being carried by the breeze, the hollow groans of the wind funneling through the ruins of buildings nearby. Vergil always took the time to listen to the wind on his visits, he didn’t waste his time with superstition, but he always held out hoping Donatella would send him a message through the breeze somehow. The wind alerted him to the scent of demons and carried smoke from their destruction, he prayed it could tell him what to do now.

Vergil remained still, leaning on Yamato and listening to the wind. Sounds carried far in the abandoned cathedral district, Vergil could hear the rhythmic beat of a distant party deeper in town. A small wind chime rang out from a ruin nearby, its purity slightly soiled due to the thick layer of dust blanketing them. He was able to find a small bit of peace out here, he’s always kept his senses sharp but he was deaf to this pleasant ambience before. He ignored the sound of distant music and casual conversation, desperate to pick the sounds of growls and hisses hiding among them. He must have lost that innate sense for danger, because Vergil feels cold steel press against the back of his head without warning, causing him to freeze up.

“You’ve got some serious balls waiting for me here tonight of all nights!” Pulling back the hammer of his Blue Rose, Nero keeps his revolver trained on Vergil’s head. “Coming into my house with Kyrie all alone was one thing, but waiting here for me is the stupidest mistake you could have made.”

“Good evening Nero.” Vergil greets his son in a raspy voice, trying to get a full breath in through the panic seizing his chest. Letting go of Yamato, the blade clatters against the dirt as Vergil raises his hands and slowly turns to face his son. The boy has pure hatred in his eyes and keeps his aim pointed between Vergil’s. Nero also carries a bouquet of flowers in his right hand, currently being soiled in his clenched fist. “How did you find me?”

“How did _I_ find you?” Nero asks, growing even more frustrated. “I’m not stupid! You knew I was coming here!” Looking back at the flowers in his hand, Vergil eventually draws a conclusion that scares him.

“Who are you here for?” Nero was here to pay respects to someone. Just as he did when he entered his home, Vergil felt like he had trespassed on hallowed ground. This was not the time or place to try and fix things between him and his son, but his presence here, specifically this grave, raised questions. Did he already know about Donatella?!

“You’re standing next to his grave jackass!” Pointing the gun away from his head, Nero draws Vergil’s attention not to the grave behind him, but the one right next to it. Turning very slowly to not aggravate Nero, Vergil leans over to read the headstone.

General Credo

“I come here every year on his anniversary, I don’t know how, but you knew that!” Nero returns his aim back to Vergil’s head. Relief washes over Vergil now that he knows Donatella is still his secret. He plans on telling Nero eventually, but not while he’s trained in his sights. He also knows trying to argue out of this situation probably won’t go well either, so he lets his curiosity take over.

“Who was he?” Vergil asks, turning his back and looking down at the decorated headstone. Nero is speechless for a moment, but seeing that Vergil wasn’t going to fight or run, he decides to tell him.

“Credo was the supreme general of the Order of the Sword, and Kyrie’s brother.” Nero informs, circling around Vergil until he was at his side allowing him to look down at his grave. “He’s the one who got me to join the order, taught me how to fight, how to fix my sword, everything. He was a bit of a tightass, but he still looked at me with respect despite how dismissive of the whole order thing I was.” As Nero lists off everything about the late general, the hostility in his voice quickly fades away. It’s clear he looked up to Credo a lot.

“What happened to him?” Vergil asks. Nero retrains his sights on him after letting his arm fall back to his side, but it seems to just be reflex and not a threat as Nero answers his question.

“Sanctus betrayed us.” He responds in a solemn tone. “Bastard tried pitting us against each other, but once he dragged Kyrie into everything, we tried everything to stop him.” Nero falls silent, letting his arm drop to his side and his grip loosen on his revolver. “He died trying to save me and Kyrie. He was tossed away like garbage and I was completely helpless to stop him. It was all my fault… If I didn’t get caught like an idiot, he would still be here…”

“I know how you feel.” Vergil grumbles, turning to face his son who returns his glare. “I’ve lost family too, family I could have saved had I not been so foolish.”

“Oh, so is that it?! I was an idiot that got my friends ki-!”

“Please Nero.” Vergil winces, careful to pick his next words so he doesn’t mistakenly insult him. “I feel the same pain you do. I’ve lost countless nights of sleep thinking of what I could have done differently to save their lives.”

“Could have fooled me with your lone wolf act.” Nero mutters, but Vergil notices his revolver has been returned to its holster. “So if you weren’t here waiting for me, who are you here for? You have friends in Fortuna?” The question startles Vergil. He wasn’t ready to reveal the truth to Nero just yet, but he doubts he ever will be.

He’s spent so much of his life running, both from his inner demons and the very real ones. He couldn’t allow anyone to slow him down, he cut every burden out of his life and it’s only now that he realizes how much of a mistake that was. He isn’t in danger anymore, yet he’s still trying to run. He was tired of it. He needed to stand his ground, to face the consequences for once. Nero had a right to know, even if it fractured their relationship even further. Taking two steps to the left, Vergil stands at the head of Donatella’s grave once more.

“Who’s this?” Nero asks, strolling over to Vergil’s side to read the headstone. Kneeling down to pick Yamato off the ground, Vergil holds the blade close to his chest as he commits to his choice.

“This was the woman I loved.” Vergil musters after a moment's pause. “This was your mother.” Vergil squeezes his eyes shut, readying himself for whatever outburst Nero might have. When no punch is thrown or insult is cursed, Vergil peeks out to gage his son's reaction.

Nero is squatted down in front of her headstone, wiping away at the dirt plastered on the brittle stone. His face is almost emotionless as he reads over her name. He never met the woman. When Credo and Kyrie took him in, he never cared to learn who his parents were outside of knowing who cursed him with the ghost white hair and his deformed arm. If Vergil had to guess, what Nero was feeling now was contentment; the boy finally got closure.

That solemn expression slowly shifts to anger as Nero turns to face Vergil. “What did you do to her.” That was the reaction Vergil was expecting, but seeing that much hatred in his sons eyes unnerved him.

“I wasn’t here for her.” Vergil says as Nero rose back up to his feet. “I was afraid I’d lead her into danger by associating with her, so I left without a word.” Vergil stepped back as Nero began to slowly advance on him, fists clenched and hovering over his revolver. “I thought leaving her would guarantee her safety, but I had already marked her for death.” Vergil’s back hits the remains of an iron barred fence and is unable to escape as his son closes the distance between them. “I didn’t want her to suffer through my mistakes with me!” Vergil shouts to try and break through his son's blind rage. “I loved her Nero, I never wanted to hurt her!”

Nero throws his arms out and Vergil clenches his eyes shut as he hears the groan of warped metal. Peeking out, he finds Nero’s grip isn’t around his neck, but the fence behind him. His hands have progressed to claws which shred the metal bars he’s holding onto. Looking him in the face, Nero’s eyes have become yellow and lizard like.

“If you loved her, you wouldn’t have left her!” He spats into his face. “What kind of fucking idiot do you have to be to leave her all alone with a kid?!”

“I am an idiot!” Vergil retorts. The baffling response causes Nero to back away in confusion, still retaining the demonic attributes that slipped out. “I’ve done nothing but make mistakes my entire life! Everyone I knew and loved died and I thought it was all my fault! I didn’t want to kill the one woman who actually cared about me!” Vergil’s vision blurs to the point he can’t see Nero. It’s only when he speaks up again that he realizes it’s because he was crying. “I knew I wasn’t strong enough to protect her if I stayed!”

Vergil was appalled by the sob that escaped him after he finished his sentence. He turns around and furiously wipes at his eyes to get rid of the tears, disgusted in himself. Why was nothing in his control anymore?! Why was he unable to keep his emotions in line. He was crying like a child over his son yelling at him! He hates this, he hates himself! He wishes there were still some scapegoat in existence to push these onto but he’s got no one but himself to blame now!

“Dad?” He feels Nero put a hand on his shoulder and turns to push him back, realizing moments after shoving him that Nero said something he never expected. Dad? Did he actually call him dad? Nero is at first taken aback by the sudden push, but he quickly moves in to place his hands down on Vergil’s shoulders again. The claws and hostility were gone this time. “I know how you feel.”

Vergil tries to pull away, he won’t be coddled like a child, but Nero’s wings wrap around him to keep him in place. “My entire life was spent trying to live up to Credo’s legacy, and when Dante came into the picture I needed to become better than him. I lost Credo and everything fell apart around me. Dante told me I was a burdon and I refused to retreat from a fight I couldn’t win. I’ve fucked up before and it cost people’s lives, but it’s not all your fault.”

“This is different.” Vergil tries to retort. “Someone else killed your general, you have a villain to take revenge upon. I left Donatella for dead.”

“You were an idiot doing what you thought was best.” Nero argues back. “It was the stupidest fucking choice you could have made but from what I’ve heard about you it sounds like your entire life has just been one unending nightmare. The fact that you aren’t this feral monster who attacks anything that moves is a miracle considering what you went through as a kid!”

“Why are you trying to convince me that this wasn’t my fault?!” Vergil demands. “What do you have to gain by toying with me like this?”

“I’m trying to help you, you dense mother fucker!” Nero screams at his father, rocking him violently by his shoulders. “You’re a fucked up person with this completely warped world view and I want to fix you!” Nero lets go of Vergil and steps back, giving both of them room to breathe. “You came to my house to try and fix things between us and I want to fix things too. But none of us are going to get anywhere if you keep insisting you are this irredeemable monster unworthy of forgiveness!” An uneasy silence falls around them as Nero’s words set in. He wants to fix this too?

“Oh… How foolish.” Vergil sighs, shaking his head.

“What?” Nero grunts, getting agitated with him again.

“Dante had this same talk with me two weeks ago.” Vergil groans. “In less crude language of course, but the same message.”

“And you still haven’t learned a fucking thing.” Nero pouts.

“Exactly.” Vergil nods his head, startling Nero somewhat. “Everything he said resonated with me, but I couldn’t quite internalize everything. I find I have problems internalizing anything anymore.” Nero stares at him as if he were suddenly speaking a different language, so Vergil tries his best to convey the jumble of thoughts in his head. “I have spent my whole life fighting, isolating myself and reaching for the next demonic artifact that would guarantee my safety. Dante was the only person who I saw as an ally, but our differences immediately put us at odds. I thought nothing was wrong with the way I saw the world, but with a fresh pair of eyes…”

“V.” Nero connects the dots.

“I saw just how monstrous my actions actually were. Not out of some moral change when I was split, but because I realized I was on equal footing with the people I so thoughtlessly tossed aside. That wasn’t all however, from the moment I was tossed aside, I had company.”

“Not gonna lie, I kind of miss the big feather brain riding along in the van.” Nero admits. “It was nice to have Nico bully someone else for a change.”

“And, of course, I had all of you.” Vergil continues. “I tried to forge my own path through the qliphoth, but if you weren’t watching my back, I would have been killed by Malphas. It was something new to me, relying on someone else to watch my back, to let someone else share the burden. I still need everything to be _my_ fault. I’ve been alone for so long, that’s the only way I can think. I need to watch _my_ back, every cut and wound was _my_ mistake. I was completely blind to everyone else's intentions and actions unless they are directed towards me.”

“Are you going somewhere with this?” Nero asks, growing impatient.

“I’m still trying to figure out what you could gain by convincing me Donatella’s death wasn’t entirely my fault.” Vergil explains. “I now realize you aren’t trying to trick me, you genuinely believe I made a mistake and can make up for it.”

“And why are you just figuring this out now and not when Dante told you two weeks ago?”

“Because he’s the only person I let in before. He knew what I went through, we’ve spent so long together; of course he’d tell me it wasn’t my fault. But you, you’re different. You’ve lived through the consequences of my foolish actions and yet you still don’t hate me.”

“Never said I didn’t hate you, just that you’re an idiot.” Nero corrects.

“But you’re giving me a chance!” Vergil blurts out. “You’re giving me a chance despite failure after failure. You said it yourself, I’m broken, I need to be fixed. I’m this monstrous abnormality and yet here you are trying to forgive me, just as Kyrie did, and… Just as Donatella tried to do all those years ago.” Vergil falls quiet again and tries to choke down on the tears that are welling up again. With an awkward sigh, a scratch to his head, and a wipe of his nose, Nero tries to explain his reasoning in terms so simple even his broken father could understand.

“Because you’re family.” Nero tries to explain. “My whole job is to save people, and while i tend to save them from very specific demon related problems, I can still see you’re going through a lot. Had I heard your story come from any other guy on the road, I’d take up my sword and lead him right to the bastard who did this to them, and in a way, we did just that. Mundus took your family away, and he took my father away. I’m still hoping there’s something in you that survived what Mundus did, and I know how to find it.”

“You do?!” Vergil snaps his head up, desperate to hear the answer.

“I want you to come to dinner tomorrow.” Nero proposes. “You won’t be trespassing, you won’t be stepping on anyone’s toes. This is an open invitation with no strings attached to prove you’ve changed.” Vergil almost couldn’t believe the generosity his son was showing, but it didn’t stop there. “You can keep the Yamato, too. It clearly means a lot to you.” Hearing him say that almost made the blade in Vergil’s hands feel more powerful, as if a curse had been absolved.

“Why are you forgiving me so easily?” Vergil asks, “I’ve made so many mi-”

“Son of a bitch! Can’t you ju-” Nero’s outburst is cut off when he notices Vergil’s reaction. “Ok, wrong choice of words sorry, but come on man! If you want to be a miserable bastard then fine, but you’re not going to make me change my mind. I’m giving you a chance whether you like it or not. I’m trying to help you because I want this to work as much as you probably do.”

Vergil takes a moment to ponder over the offer. He’s been driving himself mad trying to meticulously plan out his eventual meeting with Nero, plotting out various backup plans in case he did something wrong, but now Nero’s giving him exactly what he wants. It was too good to be true, and in Vergil’s line of work that usually meant it was bait for a trap. That wasn’t what was happening here this time, Donatella seemed too good to be true but she was the one person trying to steer him onto the right path. The boy doesn’t know it, but he was following in her footsteps.

“Thank you Nero.” Vergil bows his head, stopping all resistance and fully accepting the invitation. Looking over Nero’s shoulder, Vergil calls his attention towards something. “You forgot your flowers.” Whipping around, Nero finds the small bouquet of flowers he had brought for Credo had been thoughtlessly tossed aside during their argument. “We’ve talked enough, we don’t want to keep them waiting.”

Nero nods his head in a silent agreement before turning to pick up his flowers. Together, Vergil and Nero return to their places in front of their respective graves to give their parting words. Neither of them say anything out loud, deterred by the others presence, but spending time with their loved ones was enough for the both of them. After some time passes, Nero pushes himself back to his feet to return home.

“Before you go.” Vergil speaks up, causing Nero to stop. “I have one more question I must ask.” Turning around, Vergil faces his son with pleading eyes. “How did you move on? How could you keep fighting after watching your comrade die?” Vergil avoided forming bonds with others due to this one fear. Losing his mother was so devastating, the idea that he could go through that trauma all over again scared him more than any demon could.

“I didn’t want him to die in vain.” Nero is quick to respond. “He died to protect me and Kyrie, I didn’t want his sacrifice to be for nothing. And besides, if I stopped, Kyrie would have died too. These people weren’t burdens, they’re what keeps me going. Any time things look grim, I think about the kids back home, about what would happen to them if I didn’t come back. They’re my lifeline, and I’m theirs.”

Vergil bows his head down and turns to continue waiting by Donatella’s grave. Satisfied that he’s done questioning him, Nero turns to leave, making his way back to the van to drive back home and inform Kyrie of the potential guest they’ll be having tomorrow. Meanwhile, Vergil remains at the cemetery for some time, sorting through the new information he’s been given.

Nero kept fighting after losing his friend because he had others to fall on. He had a lifeline in Kyrie, something to keep him afloat. Vergil didn’t have that, he’s pushed so many people away that if the ground gave out below him he’d sink to the bottom of the ocean. Dante literally threw himself at him to keep him from falling over twenty years ago, and he pushed him away then too. Yet another foolish mistake, but one he thankfully survived to amend.

He’s lost a lot through the years but he still has his family, no matter how fractured and estranged. The connections Nero and Dante made were what saved their lives, and it was about time Vergil became part of that network.

Bidding farewell to Donatella, Vergil unsheathes Yamato and makes two swift slashes into the air, tearing open a portal through space. He’s got something he needs to do before dinner tomorrow. He probably doesn’t need to, but it never hurt to come prepared. Stepping through, Vergil begins formulating a new plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not all hope is lost! Writing this chapter was quite the challenge while trying to keep both of these idiots from killing each other. While things are still rocky, they've both made huge progress in fixing their relationship. Tomorrow night's dinner will surely be less grim than this chapter, but of course this whole series is just Vergil angst simulator so it won't all be sunshine and rainbows.
> 
> I'm sure you'll all love what's in store for you next week!


	3. Like A Normal Family

“Is the fettuccine coming along alright?”

“Yes honey, it’s fine.”

“Ok, good good. Wait! What about the potatoes?! You took those out of the oven, right?!”

“Yes Nero, everything’s fine.”

“Right right right. What about the-” Nero’s attention is pulled away from the mixing bowl in his arms when Kyrie wraps her arms around him from behind.

“You’re doing it again honey.” Quickly planting a kiss on his cheek, Kyrie swipes the bowl and whisk from Nero’s hands and sets them down on the kitchen table. “Everything’s under control. This isn’t one of your hunts, we’re just making dinner for the extended family. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Sorry.” Nero pulls a chair aside and slumps down onto it.

“You don’t have to be.” Kyrie assures. “I’m sure your father is anxious about dinner as well. I think he’ll appreciate having a place to rest in good company. There’s no reason for you to be twisting yourself up over something so simple.”

“Anything involving him freaks me out.” Nero sighs, running his hands through his hair. “I don’t know, maybe inviting him over was a bad move.”

“Don’t doubt yourself.” Kyrie orders, moving to finish the mixture on the table herself. “He wants this as much as you. He knows the rules of this house and I know you’ll be able to keep your cool once things get going. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy dinner like this is any other night.” Nero takes a deep breath and tries to mellow himself out. Kyrie’s right, as always. This isn't some interrogation or fight he was walking into, it was a family diner.

Nero pushes himself out of his seat to help Kyrie finish up the last of the dishes, when three sharp knocks sound throughout the house. Nero’s breath catches in his throat and he sputters to try and clear it. Kyrie places a hand on his back and gives him a gentle push out of the kitchen.

“Go on, invite him in.” Nero stumbles into the living room and tries to get his heartbeat back under control. Some of Kyrie’s confidence must have bled into him because halfway down the stairs, he’s fully composed and ready to face his father once more. Before he can give himself a chance to think out of it, Nero pulls the door open, revealing Vergil waiting patiently on the doorstep.

“Good evening Nero.” He greets in a deadpan tone.

“Father.” Nero replies in a similarly restrained voice. Guess Kyrie was right, both of them were anxious over tonight's dinner. “I was wondering if you would even sh-”

“Hey kiddo!” Nero chokes up on his sentence as Dante nudges Vergil aside and marches right up to the door. “Is dinner almost ready, I’m starving.” Nero stumbles back away from the door in confusion and Dante takes that as an invitation to come inside. “Oh man, I smell it already!” As Dante begins climbing up the stairs, Nero whips around for an explanation from his father.

“What the hell is _he_ doing here?!” He demands in a hissed whisper to not draw the devil hunter’s attention. “He flew back home weeks ago.”

“I have my ways.” Vergil simply responds, tapping the kojiri of the Yamato against the doorstep.

“ _Why_ is he here?”

“He’s insurance.” Vergil explains, stepping inside. “I wouldn't dare spoil this night if he’s here to witness it.” Nero wants to argue, but he can see the reasoning in that. These dipshits have been beating each other senseless in endless competitions, if this is just another challenge in his eyes, maybe he’ll behave. Vergil makes for the stairs to follow his brother up into the living room, but Nero calls him back down for something.

“Leave your sword by the coat rack.” He orders, pointing out an open space for the Yamato to lie. “You have no reason to bring it to the table.” It was a simple request, one that even this stuck up asshole should be able to understand, but Vergil hesitates and stares down at the sheathed blade in his hands. “You can stand to put it down for a couple of hours.”

Vergil spent more time without Yamato by his side than with it, but willingly letting it leave his side still felt dangerous. There are only two other instances where he willingly left his sword behind; once to force him to come back here and confront his son, and once when he spent his first and only night with Donatella. This was his one guarantee of safety, leaving it out of reach could put everyone in danger.

“Boys! What’s taking you so long?” Kyrie calls out from across the house, breaking Vergil out of his thoughts. Nero holds his hand out expectantly, waiting for Vergil to hand over the blade.

“Nothing’s gonna happen.” He insists. “Even if something does, no one’s expecting you to be the hero. We’ll take care of it.” Nero reaches out and grabs hold of Yamato’s saya and Vergil allows him to take it from him. With the Yamato in his possession, Nero turns around and gently rests the sword against the wall. “That wasn’t too hard, was it?”

“If anything _does_ go wrong,” Vergil grumbles before cracking a smirk, “I suggest we throw Dante at the problem and get the others out first.” Nero pauses for a moment, unsure if that was supposed to be a joke or a genuine suggestion. Whatever the case, it gets a rise out of Nero.

“Alright, deal.” Nero agrees, rushing up the stairs to help Kyrie dish up everything. Vergil stops halfway up the stairs to collect himself. So far so good, that went better than he could have hoped. Not having his sword to ground him will make the rest of the night difficult, but the whole point of this trip was to forge bonds with everyone here, to make a safety net so he didn’t need to rely solely on himself. Taking a deep breath, Vergil climbs the rest of the stairs and enters into the living room.

“Ah! Come on kids, quit it with the hair!” The first sight Vergil is met with once he enters the room is Dante on his knees, swarmed with three young children who have all taken interest in his hair.

“It’s white just like daddy’s, but way longer!”

“You said you beat up bad guys with one punch, but I didn’t think you’d be this strong!”

“And I didn’t think you guys would be so small!” Dante replies, trying to grab hold of each child and noogie them into submission. “Ah man, I miss calling you guys when trying to get a hold of Nero.”

“A word of warning Dante!” Everyone turns their head towards the kitchen as Kyrie raises her voice to be heard over the commotion. “If Kyle learns any _new words_ from you during your stay, you’ll be eating scraps tonight.”

“Aw man. I thought we could keep a secret Kyle.” Dante whines as he grabs hold of the child in question and proceeds to noogie him for his betrayal. “It wasn’t even that bad of a word and here you go telling on me.” Vergil can’t help but chuckle at the sight as he moves towards the couch. “Oh, speak of the devil.”

“Have you finally acknowledged my rank among the demon hierarchy, or are you insulting me again.” Vergil asks as he sings into the couch and leans forward.

“You used to tell on me all the time when we were kids.” Dante accuses. “I hit you too hard during our play fights, I steal a cookie from the jar, if I even so much as touch one of your dumb books. I swear you were just looking for excuses to get dad to yell at me.”

“Nobody likes a tattle tale!” Kyle blurts out, knowing from experience after several foiled attempts to sneak into the pantry by his siblings.

“Shit yeah Kyle! High five.” Dante holds his hand out and Kyle claps his hand as hard as he can against it. “Also, don’t repeat what I just said to Kyrie. I’m trusting you this time.” Dante then points a finger between the other two children. “That goes for you two as well.” This earns a rise out of Vergil, causing Dante to sit up straight to stare him down. “What’s so funny now?”

“You fit right in amongst these children.” Vergil hums pleasantly. “Forty six years old and you still act as though you were ten.”

“So what if I’m still in touch with my inner child.” Dante shrugs. “At least I wasn’t a grumpy old man when I was nine!”

“Just because I read books and listened to the classics doesn’t mean I’m old.” Vergil furrows his brows. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you were illiterate.”

“Did you not see the magazines piled by my desk back at the shop?”

“You mean those filthy pin up mags?”

“I read them for the articles.” Dante corrects. “And only some of them are pin up mags. Some of them are gun magazines.”

“What is going on out here?!” Nero peeks out from the kitchen and into the living room. He only heard bits and pieces of the argument, but investigating for himself, he finds the two brothers leering at each other while the kids awkwardly sit around listening in. “Is everything alright out here?”

“Just a small disagreement is all.” Vergil explains, sitting up straighter and resting his hands on his lap. Nero is about to sink back into the kitchen when Vergil speaks up again. “Dante spoke up first, but I’ll try and refrain from escala-”

“Oh wow!” Dante barks out and points an accusatory finger at his brother. “Calling me the child and immediately pulling a ‘he started it’. You’re right, you’re not a grumpy old man, you’re just as childish as you’re accusing me of being!”

“Boys!” Kyrie raises her voice again from deep in the kitchen. Nothing follows her initial exclamation, leaving the brothers to formulate their own possible threats behind the warning. It’s surprisingly effective considering Eva used the same tactic on them plenty of times. The Sparda brothers remain silent after that.

“Idiots.” Nero shakes his head as he heads back to the kitchen to wrap things up. Dante and Vergil instead turn their attention to the children and the endless surge of questions they had to ask. In between every question of what their favorite food was and stories about their days in school, Dante and Vergil would shoot glares at each other in silence, promising to finish what they started once they ditched their audience.

“Dinner’s ready!” Kyrie’s voice rings out from farther in the house. Vergil pushes himself off the couch as the children begin to bolt through the house, taking the shortest route to the dinner table. As Vergil moves to follow the kids through the house, he begins to worry again.

Maybe bringing Dante along wasn’t the brightest idea.

At least it wasn’t his worst.

\---

Once the table was fully set, the resulting scene was a sight to behold. Nero and Kyrie sat across from each other, and seated perpendicular to them were the two Sparda brothers. The three kids and Nico spread themselves amongst the last remaining seats. The table sat in an uncomfortable silence with Nico being the only one fidgeting in her seat over the presence of two legendary devil hunters. With only the occasional clink of utensils against plates, Kyrie tries to break the ice. “So? How is it?”

“It’s perfect.” Nero praises, same as he does every night she prepared dinner. Kyrie blushes in response, but rather than appreciating that sight, Nero shifts his gaze between the two brothers to see their response.

“This is delectable Kyrie.” Vergil nods. He hasn’t made much progress on his plate, eating actual food is still something he’s getting used to again. His demonic energy sustained him for the most part, but his short time as V forced him to eat some unsavory things to survive. If he had home cooking like this during his month-long stay in Red Grave, he would have cried tears of joy. If only the simple act of eating wasn’t ruined for him.

Dante shows his appreciation in his own way by belching as loud as he possibly can. “Man, that hit the spot!” He bellows out, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before leaning forward towards Vergil’s plate. “You gonna finish that bro?” Vergil scoffs and pulls his plate towards him.

“I see you still haven’t learned any manners in all your time up here.” Vergil growls as he sets his plate down out of reach. “This isn’t your shop Dante, show some etiquette.”

“Oh, my bad.” Dante huffs, sitting straighter in his chair. “Sorry for _eating wrong_ , I didn’t even know that was possible.” Vergil doesn’t respond and instead just glares at him from across the table, Dante returning the stare. The whole table watches them in baffled silence.

“Can you two just sit still for like five minutes?!” Nero pleads, shaking his head.

“I’ve been eating for the past seven minutes.” Dante claims to defend himself. “I didn’t say anything in that time.”

“At least you have the sense not to speak with your mouth full.” Vergil spats. The two brothers spend some more time glowering at each other until Kyrie clears her throat.

“How about the two of you share some stories?” She suggests. “The kids love hearing stories from Nero, and Dante’s already shared quite a few over the phone.”

“Keep it rated PG though.” Nico informs. “With the exception of the garage, this house remains as pure as Kyrie herself.” Kyrie doesn’t mind cursing and the sight of blood herself, she married Nero after all, but she felt it was important to be good role models for the children living with them. They had all lost their families to the first invasion, and while they were far too young to remember much of what happened, she didn’t want them hearing the gorey details of the hunts Nero went on.

“Well, how about it Vergil?” Dante asks as he leans back and braces his knees against the edge of the table. He was a slob, but he wasn’t about to kick his feet up onto the dinner table. “I told the kiddos some stories already, got any crazy adventures you want to share?”

Vergil pauses for a moment to ponder that question as he twirls his fork around in the remains of his plate. There weren’t many points in his past that he felt would be suitable for young children to hear or choices he was proud of. That was the trouble with his new perspective, he can now clearly see how abhorrent and terrifying his life has been up to this point. He does recall a moment however that’s still stuck with him.

“I will tell you all of my journey after I was freed from the will of the late demon king Mundus.” Everyone around the table leans in closer to hear the tale, even Dante who’s only heard bits and pieces of this story sits up straighter to listen quietly. “I have no idea when it was relative to now, everything from the time I fell into hell to that point was a nightmare too painful to remember. Lucidity kicked me in the teeth once it came back though.”

Vergil sends a glance Nero’s way and finds he’s leaning as close as he can to him. Nero wanted to know about his past, he’s getting it now. “Memories flooded back like acid in my veins, my every defeat, every torture session with Mundus, everything hurt so much I could barely remain conscious. I had one thing keeping me awake and fighting though, the knowledge that Dante won.” Dante gives a bow to him from across the table and revels in the one actually nice thing Vergil’s said to him tonight.

“The monster who had me on a leash was gone, but the leash itself was still around my neck.” Vergil continues, his hand gripping the fork next to his plate, desperate to have Yamato in his grasp. “To keep me in line and submissive, Mundus had fitted me with a suit of armor. Its purpose wasn’t to protect me but confine me, each piece was grafted onto me, dumping this toxic sludge into my body and clouding my thoughts.” Just thinking of the feeling causes his whole body to itch. He’s about to keep going with the tale, but he notices both Nero and Nico’s eyes have gone wide.

“ _You’re_ the dark knight my dad made all those creepy Angelo’s out of?” Nico baffles, completely taken aback.

“No wonder you hated those things so much.” Nero rests a hand against his head, recalling a specific moment during his and V’s journey towards the qliphoth.

“Mundus spared no expense when forging the armor.” Vergil forges ahead, forcing the others to return their attention to him. “It essentially made whoever wore it a slave, but it didn’t just constrain its victim, it empowered them. Having been tortured for so long and recently defeated at the hands of Dante, I was relying on the armor for survival, letting the disgusting poison inside dull my pain.”

“I couldn’t bear to wear it.” Vergil grumbles. “Knowing what it did to me and the evil hands that created it, I could not live with myself if I kept wearing it. I thought there was nothing that could deter me from the power I seeked, but Mundus found a way. I drew the line then and there, and removed the armor piece by piece myself, but they didn’t want to come off.”

“Was it like taking a band-aid off?” Vergil is interrupted by one of the other children, Julio, if he remembers correctly. Looking towards the other children, they seem invested if not slightly frightened by the story. Kyrie hasn’t stopped him yet despite how grim the story, so he continues.

“I suppose it was more like picking at a scab.” Vergil informs the young boy. “It wanted to stay on no matter how much I tried to pull it off, and I was doing more damage than leaving it be. It tore at my flesh as I managed to pull pieces free, and since I had grown to depend on it, I struggled to heal the wounds I was inflicting on myself. I persevered, defenseless and in unimaginable pain, I didn’t stop until I was free from Mundus’ leash. I would seek my own strength, I wasn’t going to rely on…”

It was happening again, Vergil was connecting the dots and learning why he acted the way he did all his life again. He was relying on Mundus’ strength to survive, despite the irreparable damage it was doing to him. His refusal to wear his armor and to rely on his own strength was something he learned as a child and Mundus reinforced it then, and because of that he’s struggling to form bonds and accept the help of others. He rests his head in his balled up fists against the table, cursing the demon king and wishing he could kill him all over again.

“He’s gone for good now.” Kyrie says, breaking the silence. “He won’t hurt you or anyone ever again.” Vergil takes solace knowing that Nero and the children won’t ever have to worry about that monster. For all the pain he’s brought upon the world, ridding the world of Mundus was one good deed he would have trouble matching. “Now kids, since you’ve all been such good listeners, how does dessert sound?”

The children, Nico, and Dante all break out into cheers as Kyrie leaves the table to retrieve the dessert from the kitchen. Vergil turns to Nero who was the only one who remained silent while the others cheered. Instead of cheering, Nero stares in silent awe at Kyrie as she makes her way to the kitchen. Vergil never had a moment in his life like this, at least, not with this many people. To be surrounded by so many who saw him as a guest, an equal, family. That same surge in his chest he had felt when he landed the disabling blow that allowed Nero to finish Mundus off was back again in full force. He couldn’t find the words or thoughts to describe it, but he knew it was because of everyone here at the table. It made him stronger, confident,

Happy.

“Who wants Tiramisu?” Kyrie announces as she returns to the dining room and places a large dish in the center of the table. She works to evenly divide the dessert amongst everyone’s plates and when she places one onto Vergil’s, the aroma of chocolate hits him. Layered over the top of the cold desert is a thin drizzle of melted chocolate. When Kyrie returns to her seat and everyone begins digging in, Vergil tries to force himself to eat at least one bite despite not being hungry at all.

He had forgotten what chocolate tasted like. To remember something so unapologetically sweet and delicious, it nearly drove Vergil to tears, nearly. He wasn’t going to cry again, he was sick of it. Not a single tear would be shed tonight if he had anything to say abou-

“OH MY GOD, IT’S SO GOOD!” Dante loudly exclaims after shoving his whole piece into his mouth. Guess he _didn’t_ learn to not talk with his mouth full. The children all giggle in response and Nero lets out an annoyed but bemused sigh at his side. Nico takes her piece and unsuccessfully tries to mimic Dante to fish for the same reaction out of both the kids and Nero.

Vergil can’t help but bark out in laughter until he could barely breathe. He’s surrounded himself with fools but he wouldn’t have it any other way. He tries to sit up again and has to wipe a tear that has managed to escape during his laughing fit. He’ll make an exception for tears of joy.

“Well I’ll be damned!” Dante beams. “I came up with all these amazing jokes and comebacks and _that’s_ what got you to crack?” Vergil tries to reel everything back after that, but struggles to wipe the smile off his own face. Evidently, his failed efforts get a rise out of Dante so Vergil concedes.

“You simply caught me in a good mood Dante.” Vergil is quick to retort. “Acting like a pig disgusts me and if you make a fool of us again in front of our hosts, I’ll make sure you never eat again.” Vergil shakes his head as Dante laughs the threat off and instead focuses on finishing what’s left of his tiramisu. The whole time, a smile remains on his face and refuses to leave him until after dinner is done.

\---

Stepping outside into the evening air, Vergil can’t help but feel the air smells fresher than it used to. With Yamato returned to his side, a full stomach, and his head held high, Vergil felt he could take on the armies of hell all by himself.

“What’re you smiling about?” Dante asks as he hops off the doorstep and rushes ahead of Vergil. “You remember some sappy poetry story or something or did you actually enjoy acting like a normal human being for once?” Vergil’s hand quickly reaches out for Yamato and Dante leaps back to avoid being diced. With two swift slashes in the air, a portal is opened in front of the home right behind Dante.

“Back to the foul smelling shack you call home.” Vergil orders with a smirk, sheathing Yamato once more. “I’ve got work to get back to, and I’m sure you’re shirking your responsibilities as well.”

“Yeah…” Dante sighs dejectedly. “Lady’s been on my ass about working off my debts, better get to it. Catch you later?”

“I don’t intend to leave our little game at a draw Dante, I’ll be back to settle things soon.” Vergil promises, earning a chuckle out of Dante as he walks towards the portal. Turning around and walking backwards through the threshold, Dante gives him a salute as he disappears into the darkness and the portal seals itself. With that bumbling oaf gone, the streets of Fortuna become blessedly silent, allowing Vergil to hear the front door creak open behind him. Turning around, he finds Nero slowly wandering out into the yard and stopping a short distance behind him. “Sorry if we caused too much disruption tonight.”

“Huh?” Nero is confused by the sudden apology. “No no, it’s fine. Tonight actually went better than I could have hoped.”

That catches Vergil off guard. “Everything you and Kyrie prepared tonight was fantastic.” He insists. “I was worried I would do something to ruin it.”

“Then I guess we’re both needlessly worried wrecks who don’t know how to act like a normal family.” Nero huffs, looking up into the evening sky.  
“And Dante doesn’t know how to act in any situation.” Vergil jabs now that his brother isn’t here to defend himself.

“Guess we did a pretty good job for our first try though.” Nero shrugs. “I just hope my kids aren’t as confrontational as you two.”

“We may not be good role models, but you’ve raised those kids well enough.”

“Guess that means Kyrie didn’t tell you then.” Vergil turns his head towards Nero who’s taken a sudden interest in his own shoelaces. “I was going to wait until you were leaving before telling you, just in case. Kyrie’s pregnant. We went to the doctors last week to see if the stress from the invasion might have caused problems and learned she wasn’t just eating for two.” Vergil was already stunned by the news of the pregnancy, but that last sentence made him white as a ghost. “We’re having twins.”

Nero stared his father down to judge his reaction. He’s stopped worrying about him dragging him and Kyrie into his messes since he followed through with his promise of coming to dinner, but he needed to know he was going to stick around. The jackass could go on and on about how strong and resolute he was, but this was the only thing that mattered to him.

Vergil looked horrified and clasped his hands around the Yamato. His breathing became heavy and uneven, but he didn’t go anywhere. He stayed put and focused on steadying his breathing before raising his head. “Then it’s imperative that I complete my mission to ensure their safety.” Vergil states in a strained voice, staring off into the horizon. Nero shudders with relief. Vergil was here to stay, more importantly, he saw everyone in this home as family.

There was just one more thing worrying him. “What is it exactly that you’re planning?” Just because Vergil wouldn’t hurt them doesn’t mean he wouldn’t hurt others. Whenever Vergil was planning something, something big was about to go down.

“I’m not quite sure yet.” Vergil admits. “I’m still weighing my options, doing my research, asking questions. We’re warriors, hunting down and slaying the demons who prey on the innocent, but I want to be a little more proactive this time.” He turns to face Nero once again. “And I want you to help me.” Nero is taken aback at that. He wants _him_ to help? Sure, Dante’s a pest but surely he could handle any problem on his own. Before he can think up a response, Vergil turns his back and draws Yamato. “I will seek you out once I have my plan set in stone. I suggest you prepare until then”

With another quick slash, Vergil opens up another portal for himself and retreats into the void inside before it seals behind him. Nero half-heartedly attempts to follow after him, but fails to make it in time before every trace of him was gone. Nero stares off into nothing as those last words echo in his head. First the big job from Morrison, now this? He doesn’t have anything to prove to this guy, but he couldn’t help but feel a huge oppressive weight was just set over his shoulders.

Vergil was putting a lot of stock in him, and after the mess at Red Grave a year and a half ago with Dante, he wasn’t going to disappoint another son of Sparda. With the sun long gone from the evening sky, Nero retreats into the garage. He wouldn’t be able to do anything without a sword, he’d better get to work on it. He’d forge a sword that would make even Vergil envious, and he knows just what to call it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that, the latest part of the series is complete, just in time for the Vergil DLC release too! Thank you all so much for reading! More parts will be added early next year, but it's about time I put this project on pause so I can work on some of my other works. What is this grand plan Vergil's scheming? What'll the name of Nero's new sword be? What will Nero's role be in Vergil's plan? Stay tuned for future updates to find out.


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